Improvement in safety-straps for carriages



UNITED STATES PATENT FEICE.

JOHN FARRIS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY-STRAPS FOR CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 148,043, dated March 3, 1874; application filed December 17, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FARRIS, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, haveiinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Straps 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whereby a person skilled in the art can make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of refe-rence marked thereon.

, Like letters in the figures indicate the same parts.

Safetystraps have generally been applied to the shafts of light carriages to prevent accidents from the falling out of the bolt securing them to the axle. These straps have generally been made to pass through an eye or loop in the shaft, and either around the axle or through a loop upon it, in such a manner as to hold the parts together in case of accident to the per-V manent fastening. These straps have commonly had the two ends buckled together after being passed through the loops, so that the straps could be detached when desired. This doubling of the strap in order to buckle it presents a clumsy appearance, and requires several leather bands and slides to hold the two layers and the loose end of the strap in place, thereby increasing the diliculty of removing the shafts when desired. In light carriages the shafts for one horse and the pole for two horses are frequently exchanged.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and better safety-strap than has heretofore been used to connect the forward axle and shaft of a carriage in ease the ordinary fastening gives way. My invention consists in a single straight strap placed under the shaft, and rmly secured by one of the nuts of the clip at one end.` It is attached to the shaft by a button, from which it is removable at pleasure.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure lis a side view of a shaft and axle, to which my improved safetystrap is attached. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same.

Ais the axle. B is the shaft. C is the clip, which is made of the usual form, with a projection upon the front side through which a bolt7 D, passes to attach the shaft-iron E toit. F is a strap across the under side cf the axle, through which the lower ends of the clip C pass, and are secured by nuts in the usual manner. Gr is the safety-strap. Its end' next the axle is perforated and passed over the forward screw of the clip, after which it is covered by a washer and the nut I screwed on. The leather of the strap is thus firmly held between the washer and the clip-strap F. H is a button, riveted or otherwise firmly secured into the shaft-iron E. It may be madeof'any usual form, which will easily button into the opening or slit made in the safety-strap to receive it.

This arrangement admits of the removal or detachment of the shaft whenever desired, the safety-strap remaining always attached to the axle. My improved safety-strap lies under and Aclose to the shaft when in use, and does not interfere with its free motion to any required extent. It has the advantage of simplicity, and admits of being easily cleaned by unbuttoning the forward end. All other safety-straps being double, and passing through loops, require to be wholly removed or entirely unfastened in order to clean them or to detach the shaft, the diiiiculty of which often results in their not being replaced, while my improved safety-strap does not require removal, and is always firmly attached to the axle and ready for use.

What I claim as my invention is The single safety-strap Gr, one end being permanently secured in place by the forward nut of the axle-clip, and the other held by a button, H, upon the under side of the shaft, in a detachable manner, substantially as described.

Witnesses: J NO. FABRIS.

RUFUs POWERS, THEO. G. ELLIS. 

